Potted plant package



Dec. 8, 1953 A. s. RITTER 2,661,574

POTTED PLANT PACKAGE Filed Nov. 28, 1950 Patented ec. 8, i955?) UNITED STATES .PATENT GFFICE ro'r'rsn PLANT PACKAGE alexander s. Ritter, rie11e,N.J. Appiieeiien November 2s, 195o, serial No. 197,925

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful irnprovernents in containers and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a container whereby small potted plants may be transported or shipped without loss of soil in the plant pots or damage to the plant.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a plant tray composed of inner and outer containers and holding tabs struck from the inner container for positioning in plant pots and tongues also struck from the inner container for spacing adjacent pots from each other.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a plant tray including inner and outer containers that are held assembled by a group of resilient bands which are quickly and readily removed for access to plants in the inner container.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a plant tray of the aforementioned character that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, small and compact in structure, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

@ther objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

liligure l is a perspective view of the present invention assembled for use;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure fi is a transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially on the plane of section line t--fl of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral it represents an outer elongated container of preferably cardboard material 'which is folded to form a pair of longitudinal side walls i2 and it. The lower ends of the side walls i2 and it are turned inwardly to form iianges 2t and 22. The outer container l0 also includes an upper wall 2t that joins the side Walls i2 and lil.

An inner elongated container 26, also constructed of cardboard or such suitable material, is positioned within the outer container and is bent or folded to include a pair of side walls 2t and St. The ends of the wall 28 are folded inwardly to provide end walls 32 and the ends or" the wall 3Q are folded in to form end walls 35. The inner container 26 also includes a bottom wall it and the upper ends of the side walls 2t and 3@ are turned inwardly to provide anges 3S and it that underlie the upper wall 24 of the outer container I0. The ends of the bottom wall 3d are folded upwardly to form end walls ii that are secured to the end walls 32 and 34 by staples S.

Longitudinally spaced tongues d2 and d are struck outwardly from the side Walls 28 and 30 of the inner container and are positioned within the outer container. The tongues 132 and ill are staggered relative to each other and are positioned between adjacent plant pots liti.

Registering pairs of holding tabs it and 5i) are struck downwardly from the flanges 33 and 40, and are arranged in laterally spaced pairs. The tabs of each pair are arcuate in lateral cross section with their concaved faces in opposed relation. Further, each pair oi tabs are disposed intermediate the adjacent tongues ft2 and 44 with the lower end portions of the tabs d8 and 5t being disposed in the soil in the pots 45 to retain the soil in the pots and to also prevent shifting of the pots in the inner container.

Resilient bands 52 embrace the outer container and retain the inner container `within the outer container. These bands and the outer container are removed to permit access to plants in the inner container.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A plant package comprising inner and outer containers enclosing a plurality of potted plants, said inner container being channel-shaped in cross-section and including a bottom Wall, side walls integrally connected to said bottom Wall along side edges thereof, said side walls having upper edges, integral iianges carried by said side Walls at said upper edges in ooplanar inwardly extending opposed relation, longitudinally spaced tongues struck from said side walls and extending laterally into said inner container and spaeing adjacent pots in said inner container from each other, the tongues of one side wall being alternated with the tongues of the other side Wall, and longitudinally spaced tabs struck downwardly from said flanges and entering pots in said inner container and being embedded in soil carried therein, the tabs of one flange being disposed opposite the tabs of the other flange whereby said tabs are arranged in laterally spaced pairs, the tabs of each pair being arcuate in lateral cross-section to conform to the arcuate shape of the pot and with their concaved faces in opposed relation, each pair of tabs being disposed intermediate an adjacent pair of tongues,

said outer container being received over said inner container and closing the space between said upper edges of said side walls.

ALEXANDER S. RITTER.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 41,599,026 Markert Sept. 7, 1926 1,687,052 Barber Oct. 9, 1928 1,735,876 Patterson Nov. 19, 1929 1,889,933 Pratt Dec. 6, 1932 1,911,215 Walter May 30, 1933 2,117,516 Skidelsky May 17, 1938 2,163,045 Lavere June 20, 1939 2,176,452 Chofel Oct. 17, 1939 2,204,118 Brogden June 11, 1940 2,313,375 Ullman Mar. 9, 1943 2,567,706 Hannum et al. Sept. 11, 1951 2,597,377 Robinson May 20, 1952 

